Pages

Labels

World events and memory

I've been really overwhelmed lately, reading about the devastation in Japan, and the simultaneous decision to impose a no-fly zone in Libya. But what's really getting me is the fact that these huge world events are difficult to comprehend, in part because so many things are happening right now. Remember six weeks ago, when all we could think about was Egypt? It's weird that the events in Bahrain are almost flying under the radar, because there only so much space on a front page.

I've been thinking a lot about the role that technology is playing, and one thing that I wonder about is how much having instant and broad access to news is making it harder for us to remember events. I feel like I am flipping from one drama to another, without any ability to process it all. Of course, the timing of all of these things may be random, but it's hard not to feel a bit taken aback. I don't want to forget the valuable lessons and information from all my reading about Cairo, for example, but it is so difficult when I am also working to absorb so much information about other places.

Do you think our memories are affected by the instant nature of today's news?